Street indicator



April i4, 1931. Y H. A. NELSON 1,801,104

STREET INDICATOR Filed Nov. 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY PatentedApr. 14, 1931 PATENT OFFICE HAROLD A. NELSGN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORKSTREET INDICATOR Application filed November 19, 1930. Serial No.496,694.

This invention relates to so-called street indicators, that is,to'indicators automatically operated b the movement of a track vehicle,for eXamp e, a trolley car or a subway train,

L l to give an indication of the neXt stop (as the next streetcorner, orthe next subway station) 'such automatic operation being caused by amovement imparted to an arm, hereinafter called the advancer, projected.from the vehicle and engaged by an inclined plane or the like,hereinafter called the actuator, in a fixed location between each twopredetermined stop points for the vehicle.

A large number of previous workers in the art have attempted to providea practicable apparatus of the above general character; but, so far as Iam aware, none of these workers has satisfactorily solved the problem inview of the fact that public utility transportation officials insistthat any apparatus to be adopted:

(ai) Must not be too bulky; and, above all, self-contained in a veryshallow boxlike compartment hangable in the vehicle near the ceilingthereof.

(E) Must givea plurality of dupli ate indications readablesimultaneously by passengers at both ends of a car and gazing upwardlytoward a central elevated point.

\ (c) Must be of eXtreme simplicity, ruggedness vand reliability, togive low cost of installation and above all to be totally free fromservicing except atvery long intervals.

(d) Must not have anywhere within or without the same either springs ormechanical movements of any kind which incorporate the least approach toeven comparative complexity or delicacy.

(e) Nevertheless, must not involve any possibility of imparting a shockor jar to any part of the apparatus whatever, at any time, whether ornot the car body be high on its trucks, as when the car is fairly emptyof passengers, or close down against said trucks due to load-causedcompression of the trucksprings, as when the car is packed withpassengers during rush hours-these two conditions, as is well known,representing a difference in the car body height of as much as threeinches in the case of the N ew York subway.

(f) Must include one or more endless bands or equivalents passing oversuitable guiding means, and associated with purely mechanical, that is,non-electrical or non-magnetic, operating means for advancing said bandor bands from one designation to another at the proper times, in onedirection or another, accor-ding as the vehicle is travelling toward oneappointed terminus or another.

(g) Must have an advaneer means projeeting above the roof of the vehiclewhen the latter is a subway car, and yet operable to cause functioningof said operating means by an actuator on the roof of the subway tunne.in cases where the clearance or vertical space available for saidinclined actuator, above the highest point of the car roof is verysmall.

(it) Must have said operating means include a pair of operating devices,completely operably disconnected from each other at all times and underall conditions, and both such devices completely operably disconnectedfrom the endless band aforesaid except while said band is being actuallyadvanced in one direction or the other, according as the car is movingtoward one terminus or the other, whereby the band or the like iscompletely free running, and hence easily manually, as by turning acrank permanently or temporarily keyed to one of a pair of drums or thelike (for constituting the guiding means aforesaid), advanced in eitherdirection for any distance desired, as to correct any noted inaccuracywhich might otherwise exist due to having previously had to run the carover a switch or commonly disused track following an accident or otheremergency.

The cardinal object of the present invention is to provide an indicatorsatisfying at once all the requirements hereinabove itemized.

.Another important object is to provide an indicator as above, and onewherein said operating means includes two drums over which a singleendless belt runs, pawl and ratchet couples, one'couple associated witheach drum to periodicallyT fractionally rotate that drum in a directionopposite te that in which the other drum is similarly adapted to berotated by its couple, and detent instrunientalities to preventaccidental overrunning of the belt in either direction; yet with thebelt freerunning as described in paragraph (it) this due to the factthat, except when an advancer movement is actually causing one of saidcouples to give one of said drums a fractional rotation, both drums arefree of any means whatever, from said couples or said detentinstrumentalities or otherwise, capable Of locking either drum againstrotation in either direction.

Another important object is to provide such indicator, and one whichshall have its said operating means so constructed that gravity andgravity aloneis always theagent 'which does the `actual work 'ofchanging the lstation indications as a necessary consequence of amovement of an a-dvancer caused by the passage of the same over anactuator.

Another important object isv to provide a weight-operated pawl, for eachofla plurality -of independently operating pawl and ratchet couples,wherein the weight itself coacts with other elements to throw th-e pawlwithout shock or jar to a certain position, and this a position toinsure disengagement of the pawl from its ratchet. i

Still another important object is to provide an indicator above, whereinbut a simple beltis employed, and that Without slaclr and hence anyVnecessity for devices for taking up slack, and yet a belt having theindicia for "the respective stops or stations so arranged that a givenindicium is exposed, and that only,'in one direction in the car and aniden-.

tical i-ii'dicium is exposed, and that only, in the opposite directionin the car; with both these vindicia always readable, rightside up,

and without lateral reversal of the letters or lnumerals thereof.

- Other oyects and advantages of the inven- "tion will be hereinafterspecifically pointed fout, or will fbecom-e appar-ent, as thespecification proceeds.

@Vith the aboveindicated objects in view,

'the invention resides in lcertain novel con structions and combinationsand arrangement of parts, clearly described in the followingspecification and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whichlatter show an embodiment ofthe invention as at present preferred. 'Y

ln Vsaid drawings:

Fig. '1 isa view in side elevation, showing "the upper part-'of Vasubway car, having said embodimentofthe invention installed thereinllli'gg'Q' is a 'transverse sectional view 'taken approximately throughthercenter of the car;

Figi?) isan end elevation of the casing for the indicator, showing saidcasing end as seen :in Fig. 2 but -on an enlarged scale;

fFig. 4 is, fon a somewhat more enlarged scale, a'fvertical longitudinalsection through too the majority of the parts are shown in elevation.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring to said ydra-wings in detail, a pair of drums 10 are provided,each including a number of ilat sides to have each drum de-l line aregularxpolygon in cross-section. As seen best from Fig. l, there areseven such sides 10a; which number' of sides is recommended; as repeatedtests have indicated that where a single belt 11 running over said drumshas its upper and lower stretches without material slaclr, as is theideal belt arrangement, smoother belt action may be had, and the timingand stepping of the partsis easier so far as is concerned always haltinga desired legend on said belt squarely and parallelly opposite an endwall 12a of a casing 12. rlhis is important in the present case,'because each such end wall has provided 'therein a sight window 13through which simultaneously two legends on said belt may be viewed bypassengers in opposite ends of the car; when the casing 12, as ispreferred, is mounted at the center of the car and near the ceilingthereof, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. As will be seen best fromFig. 5, one half of the belt 11 is provided with a succession of legendsor indicia running in one order and reading one way, and the other halfof the belt is provided with a succession of legends or indicia runningin the reverse order and reading'in the opposite way. The length of thebelt is such, compared to the widthof each side of a drum, thatpreferably there are two ycontinuous series of such legends all aroundthe belt; and. such legends are' so arranged relative to the twohalvesof the belt that when a particular indicium is halted parallel toan end wall and between said wall and the drum side'over which the partof thegbelt carrying said indicium is stretched flat, the same indiciumis halted similiarly parallel to each opposite end wall of the casing.As will be noted,these halted indicia will bestaggered relative to thewidth of the casing; and consequently the windows 13, as shown best inFig. 5, are likewise staggered. lt being desirableto cover up the upsideydown indicium at each end of the casing alongside each proper indiciumriglitside up `ing the word next or some equivalent or other appropriateinformation.

The casing 12 has a removable cover 16, and when such cover is removed,all the mechanism inside the casing may be easily removed, forinspection or repairs; as will become clear shortly. Of course, vthecasing is suitably hung, by straps or brackets (not shown) in theposition in the car shown in Figs. 1 and 2;` and before a cover removalas above, the casing will be temporarily taken down from its ceilingmount. Such a removal of the casing will also involve, in the presentcase, a disconnection of the inner ends of the pair of shafts 17 shownin Fig. 2, from the sides of the casing; these shafts `having fixed totheir outer ends, where the latter project beyond the car roofsuperstructure 18, by suitable means, advancers 19 independentlydepressible at their curved free ends when either of them by travel ofthe car in either direction is caused to move along an inclined plane 2Opositioned above the car, as hung below the roof of a subway. Each suchadvancer has preferably an anti-friction roller, as indi cated at 21 inFig. 4; and as seen from Figs. 1 and 2 one advancer is inclined in onedirec tion and the other in the opposite direction, the one shown to theleft in Fig. 1 for depression by the actuator 20 of Fig.V 1 while thecar is traveling toward the right and sweeping said advancer under theactuator last mentioned. A similar actuator, but with its main orgradual ramp 20 runningin the opposite direction from that of theactuator shown in Fig. 1, is provided for the advancer on the other sideof the superstructure 18, and consequently is located over the line oftravel of the last mentioned advancer with the car. Two of suchreversely arranged actuators, one shown in full lines at 20 in Fig. 2and the other shown in dot and dash lines at 20a in Fig. 2, are arrangedat proper distances ahead of each predetermined stop, as will beunderstood. Thus, in whichever `way the car is traveling, the proper oneof the two advancers 19 will be depressed, thus causing a rocking of oneof the shafts 17 or the other.

-`When the casing 12 is set for operation near v the ceiling of the caras shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and as above described, the inner end of .ieach shaft 17, after being sent through a suitable opening in the sideof the casing, which opening preferably also serves as a fairly loosejournaling means for said shaft, has fixed thereon, by any suitablemeans, as by a quickly removable Cotter pin such as indicated at 22 inFig. 4, a main weight arm, hereinafter called the primary arm 23, the

inainweight thereof 23 being preferably some distance removed from hub237 of said primary arm by which the same is fixed on its shaft 1.7 byusc of the cotter pin 22 aforesaid.

As seen best from Fig. 5, there is one such primary arm 23 at each sideof the casing, these arms being extended in opposite directions towardits own drum 10; the preferable arrangement being, also as shown, tohave one such arm extended toward say the right hand end of one drum andthe other such arm extended then toward the left hand end of the otherdrum,-this for most satisfactory design, specially from the standpointof reducing as much as possible the width of the casing 12. Pursuant tothis design, it will be seen that, similarly, the following identicalparts, provided in two identical sets, each set for identical coactionwith a different one of the drums and each set thus enactingindependently of the other set, associated with the drums as are theidentical primary arms 23. lith this understood, this specification willbe clarified and shortened if but one of said sets of parts bedescribed, as follows: Beyond its main weight mass 23', primary arm 23has a terminal ear 23a, to which is pivoted as at 24 a secondary arm 25carrying at its free end a hook 26 to act as a pawl relative to aratchet 27 .fixed on that end of the appropriate drum 10 in a planecontaining said secondary arm. This secondary arm 25 has a curved frontface 25a, so shaped that when the primary and secondary arms areabnormally elevated as shown to the right in Fig. 4, as the result of adepression of the advancer 20 incline-il toward the left in Fig. i bythe actuator 20 there shown, such curved face has coacted with a roller28 to arch the secondary arm well over the top of ratchet 27: these twoarms now being positioned to perform a pure gravity drop as soon as theadvancer last mentioned passes completely beyond the actuator lastmentioned.

Immediately thereafter, the primary and secondary arms will drop to thecondition. shown to the left in Fig. 4;; thereby causing a rotation ofthe proper drum, to the extent of one tooth of its ratchet, to advancethe belt one step, or to expose at the two end windows of the casing,identical indications as to the name of the next station or stop; theappropriate advancer being returned thereby to its normal elevatedposition.

i "so of special location relative to the locns of the roller center,the curved front face of the secondary arm, the point of interpivotingof the two arms, the axis of the appropriate shaft 17, and thel design,andthe axis-placin g,

l.- ofthe ratchet; these two surfaces being that indicated at 235 on arm23 and that indicated at 255 on arm 25, in Fig. 4.

The parts are so designed that when advancer is depressed to the limitas shown in Fig. 4, its pawl 26 is sent just enough bef" yond theVratchet tooth it is to seize, to click overthe breast of such tooth,when the car is packed with passengers, as during rush hours, to settlethe car body down to its lowest possible level on the car trucks; and itwill thus be seen'that, in view of the design and operation of the partsas already explained, their operation will always beV identical, whetherthe car is fully loaded or empty of passengers, because, in the latterVcase, said pawl will merely be moved somewhat along the back Vof thenekt ratchet tooth ahead of the one it is shown in breast contact within Fig. .11. In otherv words, in any case, the gravity caused drop ofthe primary and secondary levers operating said pawl, will be effectiveto rotate the yproper drum one full tooth.

On each drum, on opposite sides of the belt 11, is a retainingdisc orring; one of which, indicated at30, may have a smooth periphery,

and the other of which, indicated at 31, andpreferably alongside theratchet on that drum, is provided with as many equally spaced notches31a as the drum has sides, to- Wit, seven. rlhese notches and theintervening-arcuate peripheral portions of each such disc 31a, form,with'a roller 32 on the light end of a weighted lever 33 pivoted at 34,an impositive detent for each drum, as an additional precaution toinsure an unintentional overrunning of the belt following av rotationVof either ratchet one tooth.

Each drum, beyond its discs and its ratchet, is prolonged at oppositeends asa reduced hub portion a having centrally projected therefrom astub shaft 10b these stub shafts being journaled in the rounded bottomsof vertical grooves 12b cut in the inside surfaces of the side walls ofthe casing 12.

Any one of these stub shafts, as the one indicated to the left in Fig. 4and to the lower left in Fig. 5 and to the right in Fig. 6, may beprovided with a square hole 10c, and opposite such square hole may beprovided a round aperture 120 in the side wall of the casing;

'whereby a suitable crank or the like, lhaving a squared end to it insaid square hole 100, maybe temporarily coupled to one of the drums, toshift the belt to make a correctional adjustment whenever necessary. ltmay be desirable,.to avoid too much wear on the casing 12 fromoperations like that last described, where such casing, as is preferred,is of hard wood, to lit into the aperture 120 a metal cup such as isindicated at 35 in Fig. 5.

ltis also recommended, to avoid any possibility of'slip of the belt-11on either drum, to have grommeted holes 36 spaced along opposite sidesofthe-belt as indicated in Fig. 5, these to act as sprocket chain'elementsrelative to properly positioned pins, such as those indicated at 3f? inFig. 6, on the drums.

The operation of the indicator of the present invention should becompletely clear in all respects from the foregoing description, aswell, also, as the fact that the illustratively described embodimentsatisfies completely all the objects and aims of the invention herein- Yabove anywhere setv forth.

vlimitative of the invention. lnamuch as many changes could be made inthe above constructions, and many apparently widely differentembodiments of the invention could'be made without departing from thescope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription-or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Y

lt is also to be understood that the language contained in the followingclaims is intended to cover all the generic and specific features of theinvention herein described, and all statements of the scope ofA the`invention which, as a 'matter of language, .might be said to falltherebetween.

ln other words, the scope of. protection contemplated is to be takensolelyl from the appended claims, interpreted asbroadly as is consistentwith the prior art.V

l claim:

1. In a streetl indicator, the combinationn ratchets having the samenumber of identical teeth but with the teeth extended on one ratchet inan opposite direction to that on the other ratchet, and means normallycompletely disengaged from both ratchets, including a plurality ofgravity responsive mechanisms, each of such mechanisms being alwaystotally independent of the other, one of said mechanisms for temporarilycoacting with one of said ratchets to rotate the latter to the extent ofone tooth and hence to move said belt one step in one direction and theother of said mechanisms for similarly coacting with the other ratchetto move said belt one step in the opposite direction according to inwhich direction a car equipped with said indicator is travelling; eachof said mechanisms including a pivoted advancer projected upwardly fromthe casing and above the car roof and having a free end inclined in adirection of travel of' said car, said advancers having said free endsinclined in opposite directions.

2. The indicator dened in claim l, wherein each of said drums includes anumber oi fiat sides to define a regular polygon in crosssection and thenumber of teeth on each ratchet conforming to the number of sides of'each drum, and each of said mechanisms including a primary arm swingingwith the appropriate advancer and a secondary arm swinging on theprimary arm, said secondary arm having a tooth near its free end to actas a pawl relative to the approp iate ratchet, a guiding means includinga roller on a fixed axis and a curved surface on the secondary armalways contacting said roller by the weight of said secondary arm, saidguiding means serving to throw said pawl from ineffective to effectiverelation with said ratchet when the appropriate advancer is rocked onits pivot a predetermined distance.

3. The indicator deiined in claim l, wherein each of said drums includesa number of flat sides to define a regular polygon in crosssection andthe number of teeth on each ratchet conforming to the number of sides ofeach drum, and each of said mechanisms including a primary arm swingingwith the appropriate advancer and a secondary arm swinging on theprimary arm, said secondary arm having a tooth near its free end to actas a pawl relative the appropriate ratchet. a guiding means including aroller on a fixed airis and a curved surface on the secondary arm alwayscontacting said roller by the weight of said secondary arm, said guidingmeans serving to throw said pawl from inedective to eective relationwith said ratchet when the appropriate advancer is rocked on its pivot apredetermined distance, and a gravity means including said twe arms andsaid roller for lowering both arms to rotate said ratchet one tooth.

4. The indicator defined in claim l,

wherein each of said drums includes a number of flat sides to define aregular polygon in cross-section and the number of teeth on each ratchetconforming to the number of sides of each drum, and each of saidmechanisms including a primary arm swinging with the appropriateadvancer and a secondary arm swinging on the primary arm, said secondaryarm having a tooth near its free end to act as a pawl relative to theappropriate ratchet, a guiding means including a roller on a fixed axisand a curved surface on the secondary arm always contacting said rollerby the weight of said secondary arm, said guiding means serving to throwsaid pawl from ineiiective to effective relation with said ratchet whenthe appropriate advancer is rocked on its pivot a predetermineddistance, and a gravity means including said two arms and said rollerfor lowering both arms to rotate said ratchet one tooth7 said guidingmeans coacting' with the pivot location of said primary arm and saidgravity means to collapse said two arms toward each other above theirpoint of interpivoting, and means including said guiding means andabutting surfaces on the two arms for limiting such collapse andbringing said pawl iinally to ineffective position relative to saidratchet following completion of said ratchet rotation.

5. In a street indicator including a drum driven endless belt and aratchet on said drum, the combination of an operating mechanism for saidratchet including a pivoted advancer projected upwardly above the carroof and having a free end inclined in a direction of travel of saidcar, a primary arm extended toward said ratchet and coaxially pivotedwith said advancer and ixedly connected thereto to swing therewith, asecondary arm pivoted on and extended in prolongation of theprimary armhaving a curved front face disposable to arch over the top of saidratchet and having a hook at its free end to act as a pawl relative toits said ratchet, there being provided for coaction with said face ofsaid secondary arm a roller with an axis so located relative to theratchet axis and to the advancer axis and to the arcuate line of travel.of the pivotal connection between the two arms that on a depression ofsaid free end of said advancer to a predetermined extent, said secondaryarm will be disposed to Jdie position last described, said primary andsecondary arms being sulficiently massive and of sufliciently heavymaterial to collapse toward each other by a purely gravitational drop,and under the guidance of said roller, while overcoming the weight of ithe advancer and simultaneously overcoming all resistance in the deviceagainst movement of said belt a predetermined distance, thereby pullingsaidhook first to rotate said ratchet one tooth to move the belt saiddis-

